Tonsilotome.



R. B. KURTZ.

TONSILOTUME.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10, 1918.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

R. B. KURTZ.

TONSILOTOME.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. :0, 191a.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 my a w i NN M WTED TATES PATENT UFFTQE.

ROBERT B. KURTZ, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES LEN'IZ & SONS, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TONSILOTOME.

Application filed January 10, 1918.

To all who mit may concern: 7 Be it known that 1, ROBERT B. KURTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'lonsilotomes, of which the following is a specification.

, My invention relates to improvements in surgical instruments of the class known as tonsilotomes for the removal of parts of tonsils and other inaccessible parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel, simple and efficient instrument of the class to which my invention relates; and with this object in view my invented instrument consists of the elements and the combinations of them hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention:

Figure 1 is a side view of a tonsilotonie, showing one form of embodiment of my invention. V

Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the means for detachably securing one of the handle members to the clamp bar and adjuncts, on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the means for adjusting the knife bar relatively to the clamp bar and adjuncts, on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the instrument, the handle members being broken away. 7

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the instrument.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the instrument, on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, 4 designates a frame bar 5 a knife bar and 7 a clamp bar arranged in parallel relation to each other, the knife bar 5 and the clamp bar 7 being slidable on the frame bar 4 relatively to each other, and the knife bar 5 being interposed between the frame bar 4L and the clamp bar 7, as shown.

The frame bar 4 is provided with a widened frame-like end portion 8, having an aperture 9 formed therein adapted to receive the tonsils or the parts to be removed during the surgical operation. The sides of the widened end portion 8 of the frame bar 4 have guideways 10 formed therein wlthin which the widened end portions 11 and 12 of the knife bar Sand clamp bar 7, respec- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 191.8.

Serial No. 211,287.

tively, are fitted to slide longitudinally relatively to each other and to the frame hair i The inner Wall 13 of the outer end 14 of the frame-like portion 8 provides a clamping surface and the opposing end wall 15 of the widened end 12 of the clamp bar 7 provides a clamping surface; and the tensils or other parts to be severed are adapted to be clamped between these two surfaces 13 and 15 when the clamp bar 7 is adjusted relatively to the frame bar 4, as will be hereinafter described. The outer end of the widened end portion 11 of the knife bar 5 is sharpened to a cutting edge 16 which is adapted to cross the space between the clamping surfaces 13 and 15 and enter a slot 17 in the end l i of the frame-like portion 8 for the purpose of severing the part clamped between the surfaces 13 and 15, when the knife bar 5 is adjusted relatively to the clamp bar 7 and the frame bar at, as will be hereinafter described.

The clamp bar 7 is provided with a detachable handle member 18 having a bifurcated end 19 which embraces the bars 4, 5

and 7, and which is secured to the clamp bar 7 by a suitable clamp screw 20 extending between the side members'of the bifurcated end 19, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The bifurcated end 19 has parallel grooves 21 formed therein which receive the side edges of the clamp bar 7 and prevent the handle member 18 from rocking in a direction longitudinally of the bar 7, and the bar 7 has shoulders 22 formed thereon which prevent the handle member 18 from being displaced longitudinally of the bar 7 when clamped thereto by the screw 20. lVhen the screw 20 is loosened, the sides of the bifurcated end 19 spring apart and free the clamp bar 7 from the handle member 18 and thus permit the handle member 18 and bars 4:, 5 and 7 to be readily separated. lVhen the bifurcated end 19 of the handle member 18 is engaged with the clamp bar 7 and the screw 20 is tightened, the handle member 18 and clamp bar 7 are locked together as a unit.

The frame bar 4 is provided with a handle member 23 between its end portion 8 and the handle member 18. This handle member 23 is attached to the frame bar 4: by a tooth or projection 24 on the member 23, which is fitted within a socket 25 in the frame bar 4; and the handle member 23 has a shoulder 26 formed thereon which takes against the frame bar 41 when the handle members 18 and 23 are pressed toward each other. The handle member 23 has a tubular portion 27 which extends toward the handle member 18, and the handle member 18 has a rod or bar 28 which extends toward the handle member 23 and enters the tubular portion 27 and is slidably fitted therein. Within the tubular portion 27 is a coiled spring 29 which forces the handle members 18 and 23 apart and holds them normally in the position shown. in the drawings with the handle member 18 bearing against stop shoulders 30 projecting outwardly from the frame bar 4:. YVhen the handle members 18 and 23 are forced toward each other against the action of the spring 29, the clamping surfaces 13 and 15 of the frame and clamp bars 41- and 7 respectively, are forced toward each other. The tooth 2 1' of the handle member 23 extends over a part 31 of the frame bar a and prevents the tooth 24 from leaving the socket 25 when the rod 28 is within the tubular portion 27 and the handle member 18 is clamped to the clamp bar 7. When, however, the handle member 18 is unclamped from the clamp bar 7, the tooth 24 may be removed from the socket 25 to detach the handle member 23 from the frame bar 4t by moving the handle members 18 and 23 in a direction to move'the shoulder 2(3away from the frame bar a and by withdrawing the tooth 24; from the socket 25 and from its engagement with the part 31 of the frame bar 45. WVhen the parts are assembled, as shown, the handle members 18 and 23 project fixedly but detachably from the bars 4 and 7 respectively, and when the handle members 18 and 23 are pressed toward each other to move the clamping surfaces 13 and 15 toward each other, the handle members 18 and 23 are moved bodily toward each other without any pivotal action, as in prior devices; and this operation enables the surgeon to effect the clamping of the tonsils or other parts between the surfaces 13 and 15 with ease and efficiency, without disturbing the prior adjustmei'it of the instrument relatively to the part or parts to be clamped and severed.

The rod 28 of the handle member 18 has a transversely extending pin 32 which works within a slot 33 in the tubular portion 27 of the handle member 23; and this pin 32, engaging the outer end of the slot 33, when the handle members 18 and 23 are detached from the bars 4: and 7, retains the handle members in their attached relationship. In order to permit the handle members 18 and 23 to be detached from each other, when desired, when detached from the other parts of the instrument, I' provide the tubular portion 27 with an additional slot 341 which extends downwardly from the central portion of the slot 33 and then outwardly along the bottom of the tubular portion 27 to the free end thereof. It will thus be seen that by moving the handle members 18 and 23 toward each other'to bring the pin 32 into reg istry with the slot 34 and then turning the rod 28 to move the pin 32 down through the slot 34 and out through the open end thereof, the handle members may be readily detached from each other.

The end of the frame bar 1 away from the apertured end thereof is provided with an axial screw 35 which extends outwardly therefrom and through and beyond an opening in a projection 36 on the overhanging end of the clamp bar 7 Screwed onto the outer end of the screw 35 is a hand wheel 37 which is adapted when turned to take against the projection 36 and adj ust the bars 1 and 7 relatively to each other and force the clamping surfaces 13 and 15 thereoftoward eachother and against the action of the spring 29 or to retain the surfaces 13 and 15 in clamping position after being moved thereto by h'andpressure againstthe handle members 18 and 23. The outer end of the screw 35 isprovided with a removable head 38 having a screw threaded stem screwed into an opening in the outer end of the screw 35, the purpose of the head 38 being; to form a stop and prevent the hand wheel 37 from leaving the screw 35 in the normal condition of the instrument.

' The end of the-knife bar 5 away from the cutting edge 1.6 thereof extends between the screw 35 and the clamp bar 7 and is provided with an exteriorly screw-threaded extension 39 which surrounds the screw 35 in spaced relation thereto. This threaded extension or screw 39 has a hand wheel 40 screwed thereon which extends through and is adapted to engage the opposing walls of a slot 4:1 in the clamp bar 7, whereby the clamp bar 7 and the knife bar 5 will move as a unit when the clamp bar 7 is adjusted relatively to the frame bar 1, and whereby the knife bar 5may be adjusted relatively to the clamp bar 7 and the frame bar 4, when the hand wheel 40 is turned. The knife bar 5 is provided with shoulders 6&2 which are adapted to take against the handle memher 18 and limit. the adjustment of the knife bar 5 relatively to the clamp bar 7.

The operationof the instrument, briefly described, is as follows:

The surgeon grasps the handle members 18 and 23 in one hand and adjusts the frame-lilm end portion 8 of the frame bar 4- aronnd the part to be clamped and severed, withthe said part extending through the aperture 9 inthe frame bar and the instrument in the normal condition shown in the drawings. The handles 18 and 23 are then pressed toward each'other against the action of the swing 29 thereby moving the clamping surfaces 13 and 15 toward each other and clamping the part to be severed between them. The hand wheel 37 is now turned to bring it into engagement with the projection 36 011 the clamp bar 7 to hold the part clamped between the surfaces 13 and 15; and, if desired, the hand wheel 37 may be fuither'turned, after coming into engagement with the projection 36, to exert additional clamping pressure against the part clamped between the surfaces 13 and 15. During this operation, the knife bar 5 is moved with the clamp bar 7 as a unit with the cutting edge 16 of the knife in its normal position relatively to the bar 7 and immediately back of the clamping surface 15 so as not to come into contact with the part being clamped. After the part to be severed has been thus properly clamped within the aperture 9; the hand wheel 40 is turned to advance the knife bar 5 and thus move the cutting edge 16 of theknife 11 across the space between the clamping surfaces 13 and 15 and into the slot 17 and thereby sever the part extending through the aperture 9 close to the clamped portion thereof. The parts OI the instrument may now be returned to their normal condition as shown in the drawings, for a succeeding operation.

For convenience of operation, the pitch of the screw 35 and thesize of the hand wheel 37 are such that by one stroke of the hand of the surgeon in one direction against the side of the wheel 37, it will run along the screw either from the head 38 to the projection 36, after clamping the part to be severed, as previously described; or by one stroke of the hand of the surgeon in the reverse direction against the side of the wheel 37, it will run along the screw- 35 from the projection 36 to its normal position adjacent to the head 38, after the pressure of the projection 36 against the wheel 37 is removed by pressing the handles 18 and 23 to ward each other.

The entire instrument may be readily taken apart for cleaning and for other pur poses. When this is desired, the handles 18 and 23 are first removed, as previously explained. This being done, the head 38 may be unscrewed from the screw 35, permitting the removal of the hand wheel 37 from the screw 35, and the withdrawal of the bars 5 and 7 from the guideways 10 in the frame bar 4; whereupon the bars 5 and 7 may be readily separated by withdrawing the hand wheel 40 from the slot 41 in the clamp bar 7. The hand wheel 10 may then be unscrewed from the screw projection 39 on the knife bar 5.

I claim:

1. In a surgical instrument, a frame bar having a clamping surface, a clamp bar slidable on the framebar and having a clamping surface opposed to the clamping surface of the frame bar, a handle member projecting fixedly from the frame bar, a handle member projecting fixedly from the clamp bar, whereby when said handle members are moved toward each other said bars will be moved to move their clamping surfaces toward each other, and means to hold said bars in fixed positions of adjustment relatively to each other.

2. In a surgical instrument, a frame bar having a clamping surface, a clamp bar slidable on the frame bar and having a clamping surface opposed to the clamping surface of the frame bar, a screw projecting fixedly from one of said bars, a hand wheel screwed onto said screw and adapted to engage the clamp bar and adjust it relatively to the frame bar when said wheel is turned, a knife bar slidable on the frame bar and provided with a cutting edge adjacent to said surfaces, a second screw projecting fixedly from one of said bars, and a hand wheel screwed onto the last named screw and adapted to engage one of said bars and adjust the knife bar relatively to the clamp bar.

3. In a surgical instrument, aframe bar having a clamping surface, a clamp bar slidable on the frame bar and having a clamping surface opposed to the clamping surface of the frame bar, a screw projecting fixedly from one of said bars, a hand wheel screw'ed onto said screw and adapted to engage the clamp bar and adjust it relatively to the frame bar when said wheel is turned, a knife bar slidable on the frame bar and provided with a cutting edge adjacent to said surfaces, a second screw projecting fixedly from one of said bars and surrounding the first named screw, and a hand wheel screwed onto the last named screw and adapted to engage one of said bars and adjust the knife bar relatively to the clamp bar.

4. In a surgical instrument, a frame bar having a clamping surface, a clamp bar slidable on the frame bar and having a clamping surface opposed to the clamping surface of the frame bar, means operative to adjust the clamp bar relatively to the frame bar, a knife slidable on the frame bar and provided with a cutting edge adjacent to said surfaces, a screw projecting fixedly from the knife bar, and a hand wheel screwed onto said screw and adapted to engage the clamp bar and adjust the clamp bar relatively thereto.

5. In a surgical instrument, a frame bar having a clamping surface, a clamp bar slidable on the frame bar and having a clamping surface opposed to the clamping surface of the frame bar, said clamp bar having a slot formed therein, means operative to adjust the clamp bar relatively to the frame bar, a knife slidable 0n the frame bar and provided with a cutting edge ad-- jacent to said surfaces, a screw projecting fixedly from the knife bar, and a hand wheel screwed onto said screw and extending into the slot in the clamp bar and adapted to engage the clamp bar and adjust the knife in two directions relatively to the clamp bar.

6. In a surgical instrument, a frame bar having a clamping surface, a clamp bar slidable on the frame bar and having a slot therein and a clamping surface opposed to the clamping surface of the frame bar, a screw projecting fixedly from the frame bar, a hand wheel screwed onto said screw and adapted to engage the clamp bar and adjust it relatively to the frame bar when said wheel i turned, a knife bar slidable on the frame bar and provided with a cutting edge adjacent to said surfaces, a screw projecting fixedly from the knife bar, and a hand wheel screwed onto the knife bar screw and extending into the slot in the clamp bar and adapted to engage the clamp bar and adjust the knife in two directions relatively to the clamp bar.

7 In a surgical instrument, a frame bar having a clamping surface, a clamp bar slidable on the frame bar and having a clamping surface opposed to the clamping surface of the frame bar, a handle member detachably secured to the clamp bar, and a handle member detachably engaged with the frame bar and-having no movement relatively thereto in the normal condition. of the instrument, whereby when said handle members are moved toward each other said bars will be moved to move their clamping surfaces toward each other, one handle member having a part engaging a part of the other handle member and preventing the disengagement of the frame ba handle member from the frame bar when the clamp bar handle member is secured to the clamp bar.

8. In a surgical instrument, a frame bar having a clamping surface, a clamp bar slidable on the frame bar and having a clamping surface opposed to the clamping surface of the frame bar, a handle member projecting fixedly from the frame bar, a handle member projecting fixedly from the clamp bar, whereby when said handle members are moved toward each other said bars will be moved to move their clamping surfaces toward each other, one of said members having a tubular portion projecting therefrom, and the other of said members having a pin projecting therefrom and extending into said: tubular portion, and a spring housed within said tubular portion engaging the end of said pin and tending to force said members apart and thereby tending to force said surfaces away from each other.

9. In a surgical instrument, a frame bar having a. clamping surface and having a socket formed therein, a clamp bar slidable on the frame bar and: having a clamping surface opposed to; the clamping surface of the frame bar, a handle'member detachably secured to the clamp bar, a handlemember having a locking portion seated in the socket in the frame bar and having a part slid-ably engaging a part of the first named handle member and preventing the removal of said locking portion from said socket when the handle member of the clamp bar is secured thereto, the engagement of said locking portion with the frame bar preventing relative movement between the frame bar and its handle member, whereby when said handle members are moved toward each other said bars will be moved to move their clamping surfaces toward each other. 7

In testlmony whereof I ailix my slgnature hereto.

ROBERT E. KURTZ.

Copies. of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. G. 

